Spinning Roses
by TheLovelyDiamondRose
Summary: In order to save her kingdom, Belle had to make a deal with the darkest creature in the land to go with him forever as his servant. Will she be able convince him that some things are better than spinning gold?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Spinning Roses  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Character(s)paring(s):** Rumpelstiltskin/Belle  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing, as much as I wish I did…  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Spoilers for those who haven't seen _Skin Deep_  
><strong>Summary:<strong> In order to save her kingdom, Belle had to make a deal with the darkest creature in the land to go with him forever as his servant. Will she be able convince him that some things are better than spinning gold?  
><strong>Notes:<strong> The story starts almost a month after the deal is struck. This story is my first, so I would love to hear what you all think! (Should I keep going?)

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 1-

Belle awoke slowly, and for the first time, never questioned herself on where she was. She knew the answer.

_ I'm in my dungeon "room" in a castle which belongs to a man who thinks he's a monster, and I will stay in this retched place forever to serve him._

Yes, she knew exactly where she was and what she was: the beast's servant. And although she truly did not believe he was a beast, or a monster for that matter, it still stung her every now and then when she realized that her life was over. She would never know another person besides him for as long as she lived. She knew that she might at least _try _to accept that, for she refused to show a single sign of weakness toward the man who ripped her life away from her, or at least what was left of it. There was a horrid war and she was in an arranged marriage before she had made this deal, but at least she still had her father. Though no longer would he be there to reassure her that everything would be all right, and happiness would be just around the corner. She knew now that there wasn't, and of that she was positive. Though, she thought, she might as well make the best of it. Yet, it was hard to believe sometimes that once upon a time, she was a princess, and not a slave to him, to the infamous Rumplestiltskin.

Here, she knew the daily routine, and it did not involve warmth, plush beds, silk dresses, battle plans, and especially kindness and love. She stood up and put on her stained yellow dress she came in, along with her matching shoes which she had both laid down gently in the corner the night before. Yes, it was her only clothing for almost a month now, and as much as she had tried to keep it together, it had slowly begun to fall apart little by little.

After properly dressing, she straightened what was left of her tattered old dress, and stood at the front of the closed door.

"Rumplestiltskin! I'm awake… open the door!"

No answer.

"Do you want your tea or not?" She banged on the door a few times, but still, there was no answer. He was in a stubborn mood apparently, but she knew what he wanted to hear. She stood up straight, fixed her dress, and softened her voice to almost a whisper, "Please?"

_ Please_, his magic word. As soon as the word was uttered through her lips, the door swung open, but no one was on the other side, of course. The castle, like him, was almost pure magic. From her first day there she had been told that as long as she was in the castle, he would hear her wherever he was if she called his name.

"Thank you," she whispered, as she passed through the now-open doorway, up the stairs, across the hall, and into the bathroom that he had set aside for her to use. It was complete with a bath, toilet, sink, hairbrush, some small hairpins, towels, and even a few bits of makeup from a nearby town. The water somehow ran magically, of course, whenever she needed it, and on her countertop, was a good sized bottle of a bright blue potion that he had made for her to keep her skin, teeth, and hair glowing with health.

"Can't have my help looking shabby, now can I Dearie?" He had said in that high-pitched voice when he has first presented her with this new room.

Although, like the rest of the castle, there were no mirrors showing in that little room. She wondered to herself why that was… Though, she did however have a small, handheld mirror which he had charmed somehow for her, but what for, she did not know. She had asked him why he did not do so on the rest of the much larger ones in the castle, but he simply explained that the charm could be used on nothing larger than her handheld. She didn't question him after that.

Belle quietly freshened up and headed down the stairs to the main room, or his "spinning room," where he had spun more straw into gold than she would have ever thought possible. She wondered why, for she could tell that it was an essential part of him somehow. She wanted to ask him the reason, and she planned to. Maybe not today though, but soon. Now, her "master" needed his tea, and she was in no mood to hear him rave about it for the rest of the morning if she was late.

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><p>Author's note: I LOVE all of the Rumbelle stories out there, and so a few days ago, I decided to try to write one of my own! This is my first fan fiction, and I already have the second chapter worked out. So, if you guys think I should keep going with this, just give a killer review and I promise to update! So, PLEASE: REVIEW, FAVORITE, ANDOR MESSAGE ME ON YOUR THOUGHTS! THANKS!


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: I am so glad all of you enjoyed the first chapter! I was so excited; I knew this couldn't wait any longer! Enjoy!

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 2-

Belle emerged from the kitchen with a tray of hot, steaming tea.

He was sitting at the wheel when she entered, but after seeing her, or more accurately, his tea, he stood and walked over to his seat at the head of the table. You could read plainly on his face that he was ready to be served.

_He just lives this. You can tell. He just sits there with that look on his face that clearly states in that silly, high pitched vice, "That's right! I OWN you, Dearie!" and that is how he'll treat me for the rest of the day, just like any other. He finds humor in it…_

These are the same thoughts that run through her head from the very first, to the very last glance they share almost every day.

She gives him a sweet smile, or at least the best one she could fake, and proceeded in pouring the tea and adding in the sugar. That's how he took it: black with only sugar. She laughed quietly to herself on the subject.

_Of course! -_she thought- _With no cream and only sugar, only HE would ever know of the hidden sweetness the drink possessed. He would NEVER put cream in for his enemies to POSSIBLY see that he couldn't handle the bitter, plain taste. So, he just has me put almost a bucket load of invisible sugar in instead! Of course! It's all just image for him, the fake. From the leather vests, to the tea that looks strong and black! He likes it that way, to try to prove to everyone around him that he is in fact the monster he considers himself to be, and let him! For his enemies would surely die of laughter if they were to ever discover that the "darkest, most powerful creature in the land" liked SUGAR in his tea!_

Belle continued an attempt to stifle her laugh, but Rumplestiltskin, had however, heard. He pressed his fingertips together and stared at her from across the table with an intrigued look upon his face. She had never so, even uttered a single chuckle before in his presence, and here she stood only steps away in almost a fit of laughter.

"What?'" he asked her, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Um, nothing," she expressed in a flat tone as her face fell and she resorted, yet again, to silence.

He hated this, not knowing what she was thinking. It bothered him that after almost a month, she still clearly resented him so very much.

_Of course! -_he reminded himself- _The little thing's been taken away from her precious diamonds and jewels, the poor dear- _He uttered a high pitch chuckle to himself as well_._

She ignored his laughter, not really caring, and handed him his finished tea. Their fingertips were barely touching when she was about to transfer it to his outstretched. It was that moment however, when she stared at the cup, realizing what mistake she had made.

"Wait! I'm sorry. Um, it seems I've used the… chipped one by mistake. I'll get another set up for you in a different one," she apologized, a very rare, sincere look on her face.

"Just hand it to me, Dearie. I do believe I can manage a chipped cup as well as any other… It's only a cup after all," he reminded her, almost annoyed.

Belle was surprised by this reaction, but simply gave small, but sincere smile and quietly agreed.

"Could I possibly have my tea now, Dearie?"

Belle looked and realized that she was still holding the cup with him. She blushed slightly with an, "Oh" and let go, still smiling without even realizing it, and turned to leave.

"Belle?" he asked.

She turned and moved a lock of hair from her face, "Yes?"

"Thank you…" he murmured, meaning it for possibly the first time to her. He was about to go back to his tea when something stopped him suddenly.

"You're welcome, Rumple," she said, as she truly smiled kindly at him again.

"Wha…What did you just say?" His breath caught in his throat. No, that couldn't have been right what he heard, there was just no way. And yet, he knew he had heard her right. Astounded, he replayed the words over and over again in his mind. Yes, she had called him "Rumple," and more than that. She had used the name with such a kindness that was too unimaginable to have been meant for him. For the only person who had ever called him _that_ was the queen, with that evil sneer he loathed so much. This though, with all of its sincerity and wholeheartedness, was coming from none other than Belle, and was most unexpected, considering how much she appeared to hate him.

"I, um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I should have asked. I'm-"

"_Why_ would you be sorry?"

"I, well, I just thought you didn't approve being called that."

"I never said that."

"Oh! Well…I…Um…"

"Right. Well, I do just so happen to _approve_…" he stared at her for a moment, confused, "and you should get back to work, Dearie. My lovely little _estate_ won't be cleaning itself today, now will it?"

"Um, yes, of course."

She smiled at him slightly through her also confused eyes and was halfway through the door when she stuck her head back in the room and said quietly, "Thank you, Rumple."

He nodded his head once to her and she disappeared again into the other room.

Rumplestiltskin smiled to himself, yet still confused on what had just occurred between them. Had he _actually _just allowed her to call him that? Yes, he had, and somewhere deep in his twisted soul, he _wanted _her to. That's strange for him, but he brushed away the thoughts just as quickly as they had come and instead thought of how he should probably get her something else to wear besides that tattered old thing. Yes, he would have to pick something up for her the next time he went out, but what color? Red? Black maybe, to match the castle? Another yellow one? No, he knew exactly what color he would get. Blue. It would match her eyes.

He questioned himself then on how he knew that. …_but then again, I would imagine all masters to know of the color of their servant's eyes, yes? But what does it matter anyway…_

He then took his first sip from the brim of the chipped cup.

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><p>Author's note: WOW! I received such positive feedback from this story already! Now, the third chapter isn't <em>quite<em> worked out yet, so don't be expecting anything _too _soon. (not as soon as this, at least) Also, PLEASE remember to review, ReViEw, REVIEW! It is both my inspiration and motivation! Also, if any one of you would like to give a suggestion or an idea you have for this story in the future, please feel free to message me. I'll see what I can do! Also feel free to message me or review on the topic of: Do you think the characters (especially Rumple) are being portrayed well in this story? I would LOVE to hear what all of you think! Thank all of you SO much! Again, please review, ReViEw, REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: Ok, so it _did _take a little time, but it's finally here! Please enjoy chapter three, and don't forget to leave your review!

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 3-

Rumplestiltskin had made several trips to town in search of the perfect dress for Belle, but no matter how or where he looked, nothing screamed: "_PERFECT DRESS FOR A BEAUTIFUL EX-PRINCESS WHO TRADED HER LIFE TO SAVE HER KINGDOM AND NOW IS THE SERVENT OF A MONSTER!"_

No, he supposed there wouldn't be one of _those _anywhere. For Belle was one of a kind. No one was quite like her, or in the same situation anywhere.

Now, Rumplestiltskin is far from being a "kind soul" or doing anything relatively selfless, but one evening he witnessed an event that caused him to do something a little out of the ordinary.

It was well into the day when Belle came strolling into the room. She held a broom in her hand and began to sweep the ashes from the fireplace off of the rug. Her skirts waved with each stroke of the broom, and eventually caused a long strip of yellow silk to be detached from the rest of the gown.

Belle hadn't noticed, but Rumplestiltskin watched it float slowly to the ground, settling partially in the fireplace. This sight bothered him, but not nearly as much as when a small piece burnt away and landed itself quietly on his treasured rug… where it then began to burn.

"Belle? Belle! _BELLE!" _he yelled, as he watched the smoke begin to rise behind her.

She jumped at the sound of his shouts and realized what damage was being done. She let out a gasp and made an attempt to stomp out the small flame with her shoes, but the flame simply began to melt the material and singe the edges of her dress. She then made a dash to the kitchen, let the water flow from the sink, and filled a large bucket as quickly as she could. She ran back to find Rumplestiltskin, standing at the doorway, where he snatched the bucket from her grasp and let the water spill out, extinguishing the flames with a loud _hiss_.

He staggered back as the smoke flared up around him, causing the room to smell like burnt paper. He took his hands and ran them through his hair, analyzing the damage. Belle just stood there stunned, waiting for the screams and being thrown back in the dungeon.

It was one thing when the dress simply _looked _bad, but it was another thing entirely when it began to cause damage to his precious castle.

_It wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault. You mustn't be angry with her. Keep your temper. It wasn't her fault. _His mind reeled as he tried to stay calm.

He put his hands on his temples, shook his head, and pointed to the rug with one hand.

"Get it out," he murmured with his eyes clamped shut. Then he popped out of the room before Belle could utter another sound.

_It may not have been HER fault… but it WAS the dress's! – _He thought to himself as he suddenly appeared in a nearby marketplace.

He marched through the town which was lit up with torches in preparation for the approaching night. The skies were already dark, and it was after sunset. Rumplestiltskin frowned to himself slightly. He realized that if was earlier in the day when the streets were not so deserted, he would have been met with crowds of frightened townsfolk. He would have found great enjoyment, seeing the terror in their eyes as he strolled into their village. If he had only come a little while sooner…

Nevertheless, he marched into the center of town with a dark spring in his step. He was headed directly to a small shop, which was owned by a man who owed him something. On normal circumstances, he would have waited patiently for a few years until the man's first child was born, but the event that had taken place that day had caused him to take drastic measures.

He strolled right up to the stout, little man, named Renning, and ordered him to give him the materials needed to fulfill his unspeakable task.

The little man agreed without hesitation and hurried around almost humorously on his small legs, visible beads of sweat forming on his brow. He knew this monster of a man was no one to mess with, and he had no intention to defy him. He gave him everything he would need and more.

Rumplestiltskin checked over the contents of the bag that Renning had given him, and saw that everything seemed to be in order. He looked up, thanked the little man with a dark laugh, and disappeared into thin air.

Rumplestiltskin thought to himself- _If I cannot FIND the perfect dress for her, then it seems I have will have to MAKE one instead… for the sake of my priceless estate, of course!_

Rumplestiltskin returned home to find that, besides the absence of the rug, there were no visible signs of what had happened there. Even the burnt paper smell was gone. He felt a slight breeze on his back and turned to find that Belle had opened a few windows in order to rid the room of the smoke. He waved his hand, and they closed. Belle, he thought, mush have turned in for the night. He set the package down on the table, and popped himself into the dungeons to check on her.

He appeared in the dungeon only a few feet away from her door. Being ever so quiet so she did not hear, he crept over to the door and pressed his ear against it until he could hear the soft sound of her breathing. She was asleep, he could tell.

He stayed there longer than was probably necessary, listening to her. Then, catching himself wasting precious time, he abruptly straightened up and popped himself upstairs, where he went to work on the dress.

Rumplestiltskin laid his newly acquired items on the dining table and sat in his normal chair. He pressed his hands together and peered over them at the materials on the table.

_Now, what to DO with them… -_Rumplestiltskin went over many possibilities-_…maybe… but, no… and not that either…what about… yes, yes, that might just work…_

He sat there with his eyes closed, the image in his mind, and opened them suddenly. His hands flared out in front of him, and he stood up so quickly that his chair slammed into the floor behind him. He did not care however. He knew what he needed to do.

He waved his hands around and around, eyes locked on the materials lying in front of him. He watched as they almost appeared to come to life. They sprang up and hovered in mid-air, magically measuring, cutting, and stitching themselves together. Rumplestiltskin stood there, his brows fused together in deep concentration as he commanded them to continue in what they were doing.

He had almost completed the dress when suddenly, he realized that it was all wrong. The collar was much too big, and she would likely never be able to work properly with the skirts that long. Frustrated, he let out a groan and snapped his fingers. The almost-completed dress was incinerated instantly. He slammed his fist on the table. This was going to be quite a bit harder than he had thought.

He repeated this process many more times until, in the wee hours of the morning, he sat back and smiled. There he stood, admiring his work, and he had to admit, the dress in front of him was even better than he had hoped. It was a sky blue, with a white lacy-looking shirt, poking out of the top from underneath. It was rimmed with a brown trimming on top, along with a section in front which would resemble and act as a type of corset. It had a light, built in, white petticoat as well. He had even done _himself_ the favor of making her a pair of silver heels before her other, more fragile ones became a nuisance as well.

Yes, Rumplestiltskin was _ever _so proud of himself.

_But NOW_-he thought- _how to present it to her… I wouldn't want to give it directly. No, no, of course not. Best it would be if I were to just leave it for her to find. Yes…_

So he did. He set it up, hovering for her to find outside her dungeon door with the heels resting below it, and left to go spin upstairs. He knew he should have been tired, but he wasn't.

A few completed spools of gold later; Rumplestiltskin heard a humming in his head, and the soft, muffled sound of Belle asking him sweetly to open the door. Normally, he would have done so with a swish of his hand and gone back to his spinning, but curiosity got the better of him and he instead popped himself into the dungeons. Hiding himself behind a wall, he made a swishing motion with his hand and peered around the corner as Belle's door opened. For all of the trouble he had gone through, he expected a response from her on her new dress, still floating before her doorframe.

Belle saw the dress suspended in mid air and jumped. She was surprised, to say the least. Rumplestiltskin watched as she recovered from her shock and a small smile crept across his face. He watched her as she cautiously reached a hand out and attempted to feel the new fabric, but the moment she came in contact with the dress, it fell from the air and into her unsuspecting arms. A grin stretched across her face as she hugged her new clothing close, breathing in its scent.

While doing this, she bumped into the silver heels that she had not noticed. She gasped and reached down to retrieve them. They were made of a soft but durable leather, stained silver by a substance she clearly did not know. She stood there a few moments longer, never suspecting Rumplestiltskin on the other side of the wall, watching her every reaction.

It wasn't until he saw what looked like the glint of tears in her eyes that he turned and pressed his back against the cold stone, a feeling of uncomfort growing inside him. He did not believe that she was crying, but he did not wish to witness it either. Tears were something personal, this he had learned from experience. Belle was a strong girl, he could tell. He did not wish to rid her of her dignity without her knowledge.

He was about to pop himself back upstairs, when a light voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Thank you," Belle whispered.

He heard her, not inside his head, but with his own, two ears for once, only steps away. He had heard her, and with that, he popped himself back to his spinning wheel, as if he never had.

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><p>Author's note: Ok, so this one ended up a little longer than expected, but I liked how it turned out! Your thoughts? PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW ANDOR MESSAGE ME! REMEMBER, THEY ARE MY MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION!

*What did you think?

*What would you like to see in the future?

*Are you liking this writing technique?

*How do _you _think Rumple and Belle are being portrayed?


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: Well, my computer officially failed me a few weeks ago… SO I GOT A NEW ONE LAST NIGHT! I'v been frantically typing away all day to bring this to you! So, ENJOY!

(AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW!)

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 4-

Belle held her new dress close, smelling its fresh scent. It was new, she could tell, and she loved it.

A single tear had fallen in gratitude only moments ago. Just one. She was glad he hadn't seen, for he most likely would have snickered at her and her weakens.

No, pain and distress would never make her cry. It could make her throat close up dangerously, but it could never bring her to tears. No, none of that, but pure kindness… Well, that as another matter entirelly.

Belle strolled into her bathroom and was about to change when she decided to wash up bit instead, for she did not wish to soil her new gift with the residue from her less-than-clean dungeon "room" that still stuck to her skin.

She washed up and was about to throw her old, yellow dress away when an interesting idea tugged on her thoughts…

"It's worth a try, at least," she whispered to herself.

She wrapped herself in a towel, grabbed a pair of scissors, and sat on the cold, tiled floor. Her practically destroyed yellow dress waiting in front of her.

For over a month now she had been sleeping practically naked, with nothing more than a thin blanket separating her from the extremely cold, grimy, stone floor of her dark cell in the dungeons.

Now that she no longer was in need of this old dress though, she _may _just be able to use what was left of it to create some proper sleeping attire.

With the gown laying in front of her, or what was left of it, she raised her sheers and prepared herself for the first cut.

Her scissor-bearing hand hovered for a moment over the piece of her past life. It was ripped, stained, faded, and even singed at the end from when she had caught the rug on fire. Yet, she remained somewhat hesitant because it still reminded her of home.

She took a deep breath and let the blades make their first incision. The first cut was the hardest, but after that she got to work.

She cut away first the singed bottom, and then removed the the stiff toile from under the skirts. She then was only left with a few layers of light, yellow and white silk and several sewn on ornaments. She then began to carefully remove only the ones that she thought would most likely irritate her while she was sleeping.

She was on the floor for a solid hour, cutting and snipping. The final result was not something she would have bought for herself by any means, but it would have to do.

She decided to give it a try and slipped it on. It was practically the light, almost transparent silk undergarment that had been built into the original dress. It was still very soft and light, and it hugged her body closely until it reached her hips. From there, the material fell loosely to her ankles, so than when she spun around a few times, the dress opened up and out beautifully and freely. It was much better than she had hoped, but it was no where near as lovely as the blue dress Rumplesiltskin had left for her, now hanging on her door.

With a sudden excitement to try the new dress on, she removed her makeshift nightgown, and switched it with the blue dress on the hanger.

She slipped on the new dress from Rumple and tightened up the corset-like front. She looked down, completely satisfied. She didn't know where he had obtained this lovely object, but she loved it. It was simple, yes, but it still had a certain look to it that she loved because it was somehow entirely her own. She longed to grab her small mirror from Rumple in the cabinet and see how she looked, but first…

She looked down at the silver heels, ready to be tried on.

_Please let them fit!_- She thought.

She bit her bottom lip as she slipped on the first shoe onto her left foot

It was a perfect fit.

Excited, she continued to adjust the strap and slip on the other, doing the same. She stood up and pulled out her mirror and placed it gently on the countertop, propping it up against the wall with a small, stone soap dish. She adjusted it and stood as far back she could, trying to get the best possible view of how she now looked in her new atire.

Once she was able to see as much a she could, a huge grin broke across her face, for it was even better than she had originally hoped.

She spun around, and like her "new" nightgown, allowed her skirts to again fly wildly. She stood there, a few moments afterwards, smiling, laughing, balancing herself, and all the while being the happiest she had been in months. It had been too long.

She loved her new dress, and after calming down a bit, she realized yet another feature of the dress that she had overlooked.

The color was perfect too, but for a reason other than it being beautiful. Belle realized, as she walked across the small room, picked up the mirror, and brought it to her face, that it just so happened to match her eyes as well.

Intrigued, she wondered to herself quietly if he has intended for this, for the dress to match her eyes perfectly. For, she realized, there really was nothing else that would match this shade of blue in the Dark Castle.

_No, that can't be right…_- She thought to herself- …_he ALWAYS has a motive. Always! I bet he doesn't even know my eyes are blue at all! Must be something else he has planned, another motive…_

Belle took a few more minutes primping herself before she reached for he thin, gold necklace. She always hung it up before she went to bed to keep it safe.

She fingered the delicate token of her past. It was so small, yet so special to her in a way that few knew about.

She put it on and clasped the small ornament gently to her chest, feeling its warmth.

Both her eyes and throat closed up as she allowed herself to remember…

_... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..._

_She was 15, barely a woman but no longer a child, when her mother, the queen, took her only daughter with her to serve bread and and a sweet broth to the homeless and the orphaned in the outer providences of the kingdom._

_The queen was a perfect model for any woman. She was beautiful, poised, and wealthy, but she was also so much more than that. She had, besides her daughter, the purist, greatest heart in the kingdom. She was brave and strong willed. She would risk her life for the good her kingdom. Adventure followed her whoever she went, and loving others for her was about as difficult as counting to three. _

_She was loved by all, especially her daughter, who looked up to her like no one else. _

_"You are so strong Belle, and someday, I do guess that you _will_ see the whole world. But, you mustn't forget to open yourself to love. It is everywhere! One day soon, my darling, you shall find someone to share it with, as long as you keep your heart open," she would tell her daughter often._

_It was that day, however, when the royal mother and daughter where out serving the poor, that a gang of men on horseback made a rampage through the streets, killing all in their path._

_It happened so fast. _

_A young woman was unfortunate enough to have been in their path, couching her newborn child. They both should have died, but the queen, so moved with emotion and desperation, pushed them aside to safety and instead found herself in their path, where she came in contact with the sword as it went through her chest… right in front of Belle._

_The guards who were with the queen and her daughter chased after them, catching them one by one and slicing their throats. Everyone else, even the saved mother and child, were gone. For they had all fled in fear and desperation for safety. _

_No one saw the queen fall to the ground in the middle of the road, bleeding to death. No one, except Belle. _

_"NO!" Belle screamed in horror as she ran to the fallen queen, her mother, on the hard, stone rode. _

_"Mother? MOTHER?" Belle cried as she ran to her, crying hysterically, and bringing herself to her knees next to her._

_"HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY HE-" Belle started to cry as she turned to find an empty street._

_"Shhhh… Shhh… Belle? It's fine… sweetheart… everything's going to be all right," her mother whispered to her through gasps of pain._

_"Please… No! You can't leave me! Not like this! Please!" Belle was in hysterics, fighting for words wit every breath she took._

_"Your so… brave, Belle… So very… very.. brave," the queen whispered to her, silent tears slowly running down her face. With shaky hands, she unclasped the thin, gold necklace that always wore from around her neck and placed it in her daughter's hand._

_"No. No," Belle whisperers as her mother closed her daughter's fingers tightly around the fragile necklace._

_"Yes… Take it… My mother… gave… to me… It's yours now… As long as… you wear it… true love… True love will be destined… to find.. you."_

_"Mother? Please don't do this to me! Father! What about Papa? What will we do? The kingdom…"_

_"Tell him… I love him… Protect… the kingdom… I love y-"_

_The queen's hand went limp then in her daughter's, just as the guards came back around the corner and onto the sight of their fallen queen and motherless princess at her side._

_Belle could be heard for nights after screaming in her bed as that day came back to haunt her in her sleep. Her mother had ben killed in front of her, and even if it was to save innocent lives, she was still gone. _

_From that day forward, Belle wore her mother's necklace every day, in hopes for true love to find her. _

_A few months later, though, when her father had her put into an arranged marriage with Gaston, she had almost lost hope, but she still dreamed of a life where she could make something wonderful of herself, and who knows, maybe even find her true love on the way…_

_That hope had vanished however when she became Rumple's servant. Yes, she had saved her kingdom by agreeing to go with him, but it was more than obvious now that she would never in fact find true love. She had long ago accepted that simple fact._

_... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..._

Belle blinked and swallowed, letting her hand down from her necklace.

She turned back to do some last minute prepping before hurrying downstairs for breakfast and showing Rumple her new dress.

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><p>Author's note: So yep! I always knew there had to be an interesting little backstory to that lovely, little pendant! If you haven't noticed it, look back at any scene from the show… you'll see it! Not the happiest chapter in the world, but very interesting. We know of most of Rumple's backstory and what makes him how <em>he <em>is, but I bought it would be nice to explain Belle a bit too… Don't worry though! More addicting _Rumbelle Romance _is on it's way! I have some VERY interesting plans for this story! So, STAY TUNED! Now, it's your turn! What did you think? PLEASE REVIEW! THEY ARE MY MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION! (Please remember that my poor little fingers are VERY sore from typing this all night for all of you! I would LOVE a simple review!)

SO... DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

Notes: Sorry, Everyone! Everything's been so crazy! Summer is here, and the school year has finally wrapped up! I just finished school, GRADUATION IS TONIGHT! So, sadly, I haven't had any _real_ time to write, but that did leave me time to end the year with straight A's and many lovely ornaments for my graduation gown! I am SO sorry for the wait, but I _do_ have this now, though, and now I am on break, I will be writing like CRAZY! So, Enjoy! PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW! If only all of you could see my face light up with joy every time I get one… I LOVE THEM! So, thank you, and have fun! (p.s. DID YOU GUYS SEE THE SEASON FINALLIE?... wait… why am I even asking? OF COURSE YOU DID! Please leave some of your crazy emotions you had while watching it. I know I was: screaming, crying, and _did_ in fact have an incredible urge to start throwing things at the TV… You?)

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 5-

Rumplestiltskin was still spinning, half asleep, by the time Belle walked in. He caught a glance of her, shinning personality and all, out of the corner of his eye. The dress truly was made for her and her alone. He turned his head in the opposite direction as he allowed himself to let out a small grin without her knowledge.

He didn't trust himself to be his normal self after going this long without rest. It was much better to hide whatever foggy emotions were still left in him. He never showed his emotion, and he wasn't about to start now, especially with_ her_. He knew he couldn't afford to let anything out.

Then again though, maybe he could with her. She wasn't like his last housekeeper, the mute who actually had access to the outside world, who had to be "taken care of."

_Still think she could've drawn a picture...-_He thought darkly to himself.

Belle, unlike What's Her Name, was stuck here with him, forever. She, like his secrets, was never going anywhere. He liked it that way. It gave him power.

Open up to Belle, now _there_ was a thought.

He wasn't getting to soft, was he? No. He could never.

_The curse-_he thought_-prevents crazy things like that from happening._ _I shall never grow soft. Even if I did… my power would prevent me from going too far. My power. Yes, my power would save me… _

He decided that, when the time came, he might tell her, if she even lived to see it.

The sudden vision struck him, the image of Belle, lying lifeless and cold. A shiver ran through him.

_No…-_he thought_-Not this time._

He realized that he should probably say something, but was in too fowl of a mood to say anything decent.

"See you're finally awake," he growled, never even bothering to look at her.

"Well…" Was all Belle's response before her voice drifted off, remembering something else. She walked lazily toward him, her hands together in front of her, and her face to the floor, smiling gently. She stopped at the end of the table and leaned back against it, her hands holding her steady against the hard wood.

She glanced up at him, smiling still, only to see that he, as usual, seemed to be _so_ entranced with that darned spinning wheel.

She was about to give up and just walk away when something stopped her.

"You should have been down here sooner. I have business to do today and your dreaming isn't exactly going to make us breakfast, now is it, Dearie?" He said it in a nice enough voice, but two things gave away his bad mood to Belle. One, she knew him well enough that she could hear the hint of venom in his voice, and two, he had still refused to look at her.

Belle cocked her head and smiled to him saying, "You know I wasn't sleeping. I asked you to open the door over an hour ago." She stopped to get out a small laugh. "And the only reason I was late was because I had received a lovely little present this morning…" he looked at him expectantly.

"I'm aware," he replied, without as so much as a single glance.

"And…" Belle began.

He cared. she knew he did. She would just have to get it out of him, that's all. A small smile snuck unto her face, as she readied herself for the reaction she knew she would get from him with this next like.

"And I just hate it."

She put her face into a blank expressing, crossing her arms. She saw the wheel suddenly stop. _Yes-_she thought_-Wait for it…_

Rumplestiltskin stood up slowly, stepped away from his wheel, and turned to face her, his eyes closed and his hands put out in front of him. He took a sharp intake of breath.

"You…_What?_"

You could hear the shaky disbelief in his voice. He had worked what seemed like forever on that thing, and she had enough nerve to say that she _didn't like it?_

For a moment, the entire castle was filled with a terrifying silence.

Belle couldn't take it anymore. She suddenly, and most unexpectedly burst out laughing.

Rumplestiltskin's eyes flew open to the sound. He could not believe what he was hearing. _First, _she insults his work, and now _this_? She was _laughing _at him?

He stood there in shock, listening to her laugh.

"_What _is so funny?"

He was mad now, and you could see the fire in his eyes. Trying not to wring her throat right then and there, he resorted to just standing there until she caught her breath.

After doing so, only moments later, she practically screamed, "No! No! I was only joking! I love it…" She calmed herself down, let out a sigh, and saw him relax a bit. She kept going, glancing at him through her long lashes with an apologetic smile. "I really do… Truly! It's just wonderful!"

She stopped and was happy to see that he was almost smiling at this point. "I am especially fond of the color. It's perfect! The _dress_ is perfect! But I've never seen anything quite like it. Where _did_ you find it, Rumple?"

He stared questioningly at her for a few moments, not really sure what to say.

"I-"

He almost admitted to making it himself but thought better of it, instead saying, "From a nearby town. It's one of a kind though, Dearie. _That _I can assure you of." He gave her a tight smile and sat back down to return to his spinning.

"Well, thank you. It's lovely."

Belle gave him a warm smile, and was about leave to make their breakfast, when he, calling for her, stopped her halfway out of the room.

"Belle?" He paused his spinning to look at her. She turned.

"Hmm?" She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

He wanted to ask her why… Why she was trying to get that reaction from him. He was so tired though, so very tired.

"I'm going to go get some sleep, actually. I think I could use some."

"Oh, really?"

"Even the monster needs his rest, Dearie."

Belle laughed and let out a quiet sigh. "Well, alright. Do you still want the tea before you go?"

"No, I think I'll just go up now. But while I'm gone, please clean up that library, would you?"

"What…What library?" Belle looked at him, utterly confused.

"The one on the third floor."

"We have a library on the third floor?"

"Yes…" Now it was his turn to look confused.

"But I-"

"You really have no clue as to what I'm talking about, do you?"

Belle shook her head, biting her lip.

"Well," Rumplestiltskin slapped his hands down and stood up, "I'll just have to show you then, won't I, Dearie? I never really use it anyways."

He led her up two flights of stairs and to the end of a dark corridor. Two, massive, oak doors stood in front of them. Belle tried to open them, only to find that they were locked.

She was about to tell him, but before she even had the chance to utter the first syllable, he put his hands on her hips and moved her to the side.

He snapped his fingers, and just like that, the doors swung open.

Belle was in utter shock. She had lived in a castle before. She had been royalty before. She was also the biggest reader in the family, a trait she had gotten from he mother. She was use to big, book-filled rooms.

She had even received a library from Gaston once, in one of his many attempts to court her years ago. She had found it almost funny, for he had very openly made it clear, multiple times, that he didn't think her love of books was quite right, immoral even. He thought something like needlepoint was a little more appropriate for a lady of her status.

She remembered the one he had gotten her. That one was huge. You would think that she would have been prepared for anything, but nothing could have prepared her for this.

The room was at least five or six stories high, with maybe over a million books, and that could possibly be an understatement. There were rows upon rows of them. Windows, draped in the same heavy fabric as the main room, but green, covered the far wall. A huge fireplace, with lush couches, sat in the center end of the room, two statues of lions could be seen almost to the ceiling on either side of the room, and if that wasn't enough, two spiraling staircases were set up on either side to bring you up to the much higher shelves.

She was almost certain that she had once had a dream about a place such as this. But she was sure that even her dreams couldn't have compared to this.

"It's… it's… wonderful…" Belle walked in and, in an attempt to see everything at once, ended up spinning in a circle.

"I take it you like it, then?"

"It's almost like a dream," she whispered, looking up.

"Well..." He looked around, observing the place. "It doesn't seem very dirty at all, now does it? I would just say to do a bit of dusting, clean and set up that fire place, and sweep up a bit here and there, Dearie. I should be awake by then."

"Alright!"

He nodded to her and waited until he was halfway down the hall to pop himself into his room, thinking to himself that he would have to remember her love for books next time he went into town. It was true that there were enough books in there to last her a lifetime, but he doubted that she would have much fun with most of them. She didn't really seem like a girl who would exactly enjoy reading a text on _One Thousand Ways to Kill Using Goblin's Blood._

Rumplestiltskin laughed at the thought. No, she wasn't _that _type at all.

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><p>Author's notes: Well! It <em>is <em>shorter than the others, but I hope you liked it. If you want some longer chapters… REVIEW! They are my motivation and inspiration! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!


	6. Chapter 6

Notes: From now on, I will be responding to EACH AND EVERY review that this story receives so that I can tell you personally, and in my own words, how much YOUR review inspired me.

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 6-

It was a brighter than usual morning when Belle awoke and started the daily routine. She had been there, as his servant, for exactly two and a half months. She didn't know what she was exactly counting for, though.

After all, it wasn't as if in so many months or years she would get to leave. No. She was staying there forever. That was the deal, and that's what was going to happen.

She had become quite confortable there though, especially now that she knew that she had the library to go to if se ever needed to "escape" after her chores. Rumple had allowed her to read as many books as she pleased. It was hard to find anything good though. Most of everything revolved around some type of cruel torture or dark potion.

She stayed busy though, doing whatever seemed necessary and whatever Rumple wanted. Though, it seemed nowadays he had her doing less and less. She figured it was do to his long journeys that he would take off on, unexpectedly.

Every once in a while, along with his magically signed contracts, he would return with a torn sleeve or something else in need of her repairs.

She knew very little about housework, but being a former princess, Belle _did _now _quite_ a bit when it came to needlepoint. That made stitching a few of Rumple's tattered delicates a piece of cake, but still very time consuming.

She was in the middle of mending a particular one, his dragon hide vest, while she sat by the lit fireplace in the great room. If she weren't being exposed to the hot flames in front of her, she _may _have felt the warmth behind her and the cold chill that came with every one of Rumple's entrances.

Because she didn't though, it came as a great and terrifying surprise when, as she was in the middle of a rather tricky stitch, Rumplestiltskin made his presence known with a loud, high pitched giggle directly behind her.

"Seems to be coming alon-"

At the first sound, Belle had made a small, muffled scream, turned around, and in her hast, stabbed herself with the needle.

"MMM! Ouch! You could have said something, you know!"

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I _do _believe that's what caused this little…" -he waved his hands at the scene- "misfortune, Dearie."

"Well, I suppose that's true," she said through the injured finger at her mouth.

He laughed, but then stopped as he got a good look at the finger; the blood as well.

_What had she been using? -_He thought- _A small sword? _

Catching the almost concerned look on his face, Belle picked up a needle, red at the tip, as the explanation. The thing was at least 4 inches long and _very _thick. "Dragon hide is a lot harder to get through than your silk." She smiled at him sheepishly, though he could see the pain in her eyes.

She hid the finger from his view, but it was too late, he had seen. It was bad… _very _bad, indeed.

"Let me see it."

"It's fine! Real-"

"Belle." He looked at her in a confused way and crouched down. "Don't lie to me." He held out his hand.

She bit her bottom lip, and glanced back and forth from her hidden finder to his eyes before placing her hand in his.

The needle had gone past the bone, and she had a blood mark beneath her nail. It was bad, and she knew it too.

He placed his other hand over hers a kept it there for a moment until a bright, warm glow washed over _her_ hand. She no longer felt the pain.

When he lifted his hand, the wound was gone. She looked up and stared at him in disbelief. She didn't know why she was so surprised, but it just seemed too magnificent.

"Like I said before, I can't have you in bad condition when there's so much to do, Dearie." He shook his head and wagged a finger at her.

She just nodded her head, and he got up, waking off to his spinning wheel.

It her several moments before she could collect herself enough to get up and leave the scene as well, taking her sewing with her.

She could still almost feel the warmth of his magic on her fingertips.

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><p>Author's note: WELL! This <em>is<em> a shorter than usual chapter, but everyone needs a filler now and then. I have some great ideas for the next one, and maybe TWO chapters. I like them so far. One of them, you know like the back of your hand, and it won't be much of a surprise. The other gives Belle a very "Disney Princess" feel. I hope you like them! I'm pretty sure I will be going with those, but as many of you know, _many _interesting ideas come out when you actually start writing! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, I would LOVE to hear them! Please don't forget that I am from now on responding to _EVERY SINGLE_review that this story receives.

~*~*YOUR REVIEWS _ARE _MY MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION*~*~

-PLEASE REMEMBER THAT-


	7. Chapter 7

Notes: So, I've had some _major _computer problems lately. Plus, with no Rumbelle inspiration on my TV screen, it's been very hard to write. Just a little filler until the REAL stuff comes in next chapter. I had some inspiration from my own "Charming" to start writing again. I already started it! It's almost done! Please don't forget to review! As I said before, I will be responding to EACH AND EVERY comment left! THANK YOU!

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><p>~Spinning Roses~<p>

-Chapter 7-

The deep, gray-gold eyes of Rumplestiltskin opened for the first time that day, as he was pulled out of a deep sleep by something pecking at his window.

It was early. He could tell, and after returning home from his travels late the night before, nothing seemed less appealing than to wake at this hour. In the end though, his irritation got the better of him.

He leapt out of bed and made his way to the windowsill- his hands in fists. Ripping the curtains aside, he found that the culprit of the wrenched sound was a small, bright-blue bird, and such a brilliant blue that the very sight of it reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite place what it was.

_It must be something great. Perhaps something I made a deal for? A place I traveled? No… A certain potion, maybe? - _he thought to himself- _Ahh yes, but of course… _

It was her eyes… Belle's.

Thinking nothing of it, he crouched down and met the fragile bird at eye level, which had stopped his pecking all at once. The bird looked into the eyes of the most powerful creature alive with a deep calm. It intrigued Rumplestiltskin, to say the least, and because of this, he chose to stay there, eyeing the bird.

He wondered silently to himself why the bird didn't fly away at the first sight of him. For what could such a pure thing possibly see in him that would make it stay?

He slowly put his finger up to the window, and as he did, the bird opened its wings to reveal a single, white feather on the inside of its right wing. It then closed its wings, ruffled its feathers, and closed its eyes.

It wasn't right. It wasn't natural. And it was for this simple reason that Rumplestiltskin had decided to rise to his feet and get ready for the day.

All magic came with a price… except when it was directed toward himself or used for his own selfish needs. He already paid his price just by living every day. He was cursed for all eternity. This was his payment, and in his opinion, he paid in full for every ounce of his magic every moment of his miserable life.

He could see the future of all, and that gave him a great advantage, but it was also the only kind of magic that had its own toll on him, because it hurt.

Peering into the "unknown" future of others took extreme focus and concentration, and it sent an electrical current down his spine that caused him to shut his eyes and shutter for a single, unbearable moment. He had only ever used it a few times, before his biggest deals.

Only once had it failed him, when he tried to use it in aid to finding his son. He had blamed his unsuccessfulness on the fact that he was in a different land, a different world. It was either that, or the fact that his son was just too emotionally close to him, for as it turned out, he himself, the ever-powerful Rumplestiltskin, could not see his own future.

He couldn't complain though. For as much as his power was his curse, it was also his salvation. He wouldn't be anything without it. But with it, he had the world at his fingertips. Even the greatest and most powerful of kings were on their knees, subjects to his power, and nothing could stop him. Nothing.

It was for this reason that he was able to get ready for the day with a simple flick of the wrist. Looking himself over though, he wasn't satisfied. But then again, he never really was with anything.

He was bound in a tight, dragon hide jacket, tied up at the sides with a set of thick laces. Only a blood red, silk shirt prevented the jacket from coming in contact with his bare chest. His usual leather pants, skintight all the way through, clung to his body as if it were almost a part of him somehow. And he wore black, dragon hide leather boots, laced almost the entire way up his legs.

He realized to himself that he felt too constricted. The leather jacket, as stylish as it may be, was too much. Even the undershirt was too dark. And his legs… his legs could not even _move_ in these blasted boots! It was his usual attire. So why then, did he feel that it suddenly did not belong?

Frustrated, he tore off the jacket and shirt, discarding them onto the bed. He tried something else, but it yet again failed to please him. It wasn't until he had _very _large pile of forsaken shirts, vests, and jackets, that he came to like a certain medium gold shirt, entirely silk.

And since the shirt _was_ silk, it gave the gold an extra shimmer. He tested the fabric in the light of a nearby lantern. Tilting his sleeve-clad arm at a majority of angles, he gazed upon the patterns of reflected light, dancing over the delicate material.

He then traded his constricting boots for something a little more reasonable. He decided to stick with his usual black leather, booted look, just with a considerably shorter pair.

Analyzing the changes, he realized that even though it was _considerably _more comfortable, it still lacked the certain _je ne sais quoi_ of the infamous Rumplestiltskin. After all, he _was_ the most powerfulbeing alive.

Vests and jackets were always his specialty touch, and he himself had forever been a fan of high collars. Thus, it was no surprise to him that he added a high collared, deep gold vest to his ensemble.

Checking himself over, he couldn't help but to realize that he was quiet fond of this new look. It wasn't his usual dark attire by any means. But still, he had to admit that looked almost… dashing… Well, as close as a forever-cursed monster with scaly gold skin and a wicked grin could come, anyway.

He almost had laughed thinking of what Belle would think of it. Though he was guessing she would _very _much approve after the initial shock had left her.

He had always admired gold, the look of it, the feel of it, what it meant in terms of power. He always fount it quite fitting that _he himself_ would have such a physical and emotional connection with it. The curse had made sure of it. He had gold skin, golden eyes, and could even make his own gold from simple straw, just by spinning it at the wheel.

That was something that had always relaxed him, his spinning. The repetitive motions helped numb his mind, where he could almost forget. Forget his anger. His pain…

Content at last, he went back to the window, only to find that the little animal had gone. His face fell slightly, and he hated himself for it. Of course it was gone! He felt stupid to think otherwise.

He needed to wake up. He was groggy and thinking nonsense.

He took the stairs to reach the lower level of the castle. On a usual day, he would have simply popped himself down without another thought, but he needed to wake up. Stretch his legs. Be a little human for once.

"Pshh, human…" He muttered aloud, for he was anything but.

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><p>Author's note: Again everyone, I'm so sorry for the terribly long delay... truly I am. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Please review and I will send you a PM with my thanks! Thank you!<p> 


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